bake chattin' with Jamie Rothenberg
an interview with the gal you might know as foodjars :)
hey hi hello!
Today, Jamie Rothenberg, who you may know as foodjars on Instagram joins us :) Jamie is a New York City based content creator with a background as a freelance video editor and social media manager. These days you can catch Jamie cooking over at Dinner Party in Brooklyn. Jamie has a cake + food style that is chic with a touch of whimsy and nostalgia. Each of her cakes feel like a love letter to the season and the people they’re made for. I’m excited to share a little bit more of Jamie with you today ♡ We talk about her creative process & visual style, alternative creative paths and career pivots. Jamie is more than just a baker, line cook or content creator, she’s a creative, a thinker, and a person navigating life thoughtfully and authentically xx
First, I would love to know where the name foodjars came from!
Lol it's so random—in highschool I was obsessed with the Tumblr celebrity formerly known as jamjars (who now goes by Hazel!). All of my social accounts are @jamiejars and when I created my food Instagram back in 2017, I wanted the two accounts to be connected by name. I've had the identity for so long that new friends often think my last name is jars.
It’s clear from your posts that you think visually — everything from the plating to the colors to the flavors feels really intentional. How does your design eye shape the way you cook or share food?
It's funny you say that—I don't start with a visual design in mind. I think conceptually first, and let that guide how I feel in the moment. My professional background is in video editing & social media management, and I think visual storytelling is important to me because of that; but I want the things I make to speak for itself, and using a clean background and natural lighting helps me share that story.
You write a lot about tenderness and time. Are there any non-food routines or rituals in your life that help you slow down or feel more present?
I fear many of my rituals are related to food, but I prioritize weekly movement (hot yoga, weightlifting, walking) and time to read/write to make me feel more present.
If you had to walk away from food entirely, is there another creative path you think you’d throw yourself into?
I think about this often. I'm currently a freelance content creator/baker/line cook, but prior to this I worked in print media for 6+ years—food media specifically since 2022. I worked as a video editor, content marketing producer, social media manager + editor. I think pivoting is awesome, and I love meeting other people who have been able to switch things around creatively. I would love to pursue music in some capacity, but I'm really not sure where to start.
Your newsletter, jamie’s food dairy, perfectly encapsulates just that, the feeling of sneaking a peek at your friend's diary. Has writing always been part of your creative practice, or is it something that came later through Foodjars?
I've always loved to write. In college I became an accidental English minor after signing up for one too many creative writing classes. I go through phases with my love for it; some years of my life feel perfectly accounted for with stacked journals, and sometimes months go by where I cannot for the life of me pick up a pen. I'm in that awkward in-between phase currently—I have a list of 'to-write' ideas in my notes app, but the inspiration to write hasn't yet sparked.
What lessons from outside the kitchen—whether from other careers, life challenges, or passions—have helped you grow not only as a person but as a baker too?
I've learned a lot about myself over the past few years, especially in how I feel about myself in relation to my career. For a really long time, I felt like I was flailing/falling so far behind in terms of where I was 'meant to be.' I placed a lot of value in my title and how much money I was making, when neither of those things were directly fueling my day-to-day happiness. I've learned to trust my gut a lot more. When something is right for you, it'll feel good. There's no correct path you need to take to feel accomplished, and it's okay to feel confused about your future. I'd rather look back and be happy that I tried something new. It would have felt way worse to have stayed complacent in my unhappiness.
What does your ideal day off look like?
Uninterrupted time with my loved ones.
If you curated your perfect day of NYC line cook meals- what would the line up be? breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and what's filling your non-performative deli cup?
Ooooo hard one; the restaurant I work at is amazing and feeds us really well, so almost every day is a perfect day there... Dream day? Maybe breakfast starts with avocado atop polenta sourdough, jammy egg, pickled long hots, herbs and fresh fruit; for lunch, a brothy poached chicken over rice with a spicy herb sauce; and dinner, a gorg bowl of gnocchi in a pesto butter wine sauce. Dessert can be the spumoni that was on my menu a few weeks ago. I have ice water in one deli cup and iced jasmine green tea in the other.
What is your hottest kitchen take?
None of these takes are too hot... Mint chocolate chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste, nutella and peanut butter are both overrated, boxed brownies are better than most homemade versions!
To keep up with Jamie be sure to follow her on TikTok, Instagram and right here on Substack!
And if you’re in Brooklyn this weekend be sure to visit Jamie at her pop up at Hudson Wilder on Sunday Aug 17th starting at 11am :)
Chat soon my bake chat baddies ♡
happy to be here <3 thanks for chatting with me kassie!!!!